Feud erupts between Hindu groups

A bottle filled with vehicle fuel was set alight and hurled on the residence of a Hindu activist in the early hours of Tuesday following a feud between members of two Hindu organisations.

Arrested

All the eight persons accused in the case have been arrested by the city police.

The house of M. Muthu Kumar, 33, a resident of Pappanaickenpalayam, who was heading the youth wing of Shiv Sena, was attacked allegedly because of a quarrel his brother M. Vinoth Kumar had picked with cadre of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

According to police sources, the Shiva Sena had placed a Vinayaka idol near Variety Hall Road last year during the Chathurthi celebrations.

They had obtained permission to shift it to Pappanaickenpalayam for this year’s celebrations.

Permission denied

The VHP’s request seeking permission for installing an idol was denied due to a policy-level decision not to permit additional Vinayaka idols this year.

This had resulted in an argument between Subash of VHP and Vinoth Kumar.

Following this, Subash and seven others attacked the house, damaging the asbestos roof and some clothes.

Vinoth Kumar was not present at the house at that time. Muthu Kumar, his wife and eight-year-old daughter were there along with Muthu Kumar’s mother. Based on a statement given by Muthu Kumar, the Race Course Police arrested Subash, Ramakrishnan, Anish Kumar, Manikandan, Vignesh, Suresh Krishna, Karthick alias Simran and Raj Kumar, all belonging to VHP, and remanded them in custody.

Case registered

A case had been registered and Sections 147 (rioting), 147 (rioting armed with deadly weapon) and 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code were invoked along with Section 3 (a) of the Explosive Substances Act. Further investigations are on.